A number of devices for containing and otherwise packaging odorants such as perfume fragrances and flavoring agents, natural or synthetic, are known. Perhaps the most commonly known perfume packaging device is a glass bottle, in which a fragrance composition is contained. Typically, a fragrance composition contains a relatively minor amount of the extract of essential oil or oils constituting a perfume fragrance and a relatively major amount of carrier liquid, such as water and/or an alcohol, resulting in a relatively volatile composition of low viscosity. One of the problems with bottled perfume is that if tipped over when open, the contents spill readily, with the spilled liquid perfume likely rendered unusable. Also, because a bottle of perfume generally contains a bulk amount relative to the amount applied by a person in a single application, it is difficult to dispense a precise proper amount for a single application. While trial and error may assist a user in determining the proper amount, a substantial amount of the perfume is likely to be wasted. A need exists for a perfume delivery system and method that dispenses a precise preselected amount of fragrance.
It is often desirable to provide small quantities of odorants or fragrances such as perfume fragrance or flavoring agents to customers or potential customers for various reasons. Small or test quantities of odorant may be used to promote or advertise a fragrance or flavoring, for example. If a person likes the test quantity, purchase of a larger amount of the fragrance or flavoring is more likely. Also, it may be desirable to sell quantities of fragrance packaged in a size intended for a single application. It may also be desirable to send small quantities of perfume or flavoring aromas through the postal system, including as inserts in magazines. While bottles conceivably could be made small enough to contain only a single use amount of perfume, and could be made solid enough to send through the mail, such bottles would not be practical for general use or for inserting into the pages of a magazine.
Some other devices are known for providing odorant testers in magazine advertisements. For example, use of microencapsulated capsules of fragrance adhered to a paper or plastic based substrate are known, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,863 to Sweeney. Physical contact or some type of pressure or mechanical action with the microencapsulated capsules is needed to rupture or crush the walls of the microcapsules to allow the fragrance to be released for persons to sense the fragrance. The amount of physical contact required to rupture the capsules is not great and as a result, incidental physical contact often causes the unintended rupture of the microcapsules thereby causing unintended release of the fragrance.
Other known odorant packaging devices include layers of substrates adhered to one another, with the fragrance oils suspended in some medium which is sealed in between the layers of substrates. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,690 to Szycher describes a system using a polyurethane layer in connection with a fragrance oil to assist in the emission of fragrance.
One problem with existing odorant tester packages is that premature and unintended release of the fragrance occurs. Such premature release occurs during shipment, such as through the mail, resulting in a decreased amount of fragrance available at the time the package is intended to be opened. Because a magazine may contain more than one test quantity of odorant, odorant test packages which allow unintended fragrance release may commingle, thus resulting in a mixture of aromas, rather than a specific, selected aroma. Also, the United States Postal Service has promulgated certain regulations designed to minimize unintended release of fragrance, and may implement additional regulations further restricting banning the mailing of devices that emit fragrance during shipment. Sealed perfume packages of the type taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,690 to Szycher are believed to be susceptible to unwanted fragrance emission. When such perfume packages are placed in a magazine as an insert, a reader is exposed to the fragrance regardless of whether the reader desires such exposure. In the case of persons with certain allergies or sensitivities, such unwanted exposure may present a serious health threat. Vapor permeable fragrance inserts in a magazine may also discourage persons from purchasing the magazine to avoid being exposed to an undesired fragrance. In any event, it is best if people have a choice as to whether to perceive a fragrance.
Solutions containing extracts of essential oil, such as perfume, are well known. Alcohol and/or water is a popular solvent for perfume solutions. With alcohol and/or water as the solvent, the resulting solution, containing mostly solvent, has a very low viscosity. Alcohol is a common solvent because it is highly volatile and evaporates quickly, providing a quick "lift" of the fragrance. "Lift" refers to the speed that a fragrance reaches a person's olfactory senses. When a suspension medium containing alcohol is placed between two substrates of a perfume tester package, certain problems may arise. Specifically, where the two substrates are adhered together by heat, alcohol can chemically interact with the bond formed by heat. For example, the alcohol might attack the heat seal, compromising the integrity of the heat seal and thereby allowing air into the package and fragrance to escape the package. Also, when air is present, alcohol quickens the drying time of the remaining fragrance oils and, without additives, results in a solution of very low viscosity making application by a person from a sample package very difficult. Additionally, alcohol displaces space in the package which otherwise could be used for the odorant.
A need exists for an alcohol-free odorant composition and delivery system that is readily adaptable to use in a perfume tester package for use as a magazine insert or for attachment directly to a magazine page and the like. Such a perfume composition should be easy to apply, handle and remove from such a package.